More than 40 school districts in Northeast Ohio have levies on the ballot this spring, at a time when schools have increasingly struggled to get new taxes approved and the future of school funding in Ohio is uncertain.
While the majority of the Northeast Ohio districts are seeking renewal of previous levies, meaning no taxes will be increased, about a third are seeking new tax money for operations or to fund a bond to build new facilities. Typically, new taxes are harder sells for districts.
Several school districts are facing potentially steep cuts if their levies don't pass. Both Ravenna City School District and Mogadore Local School District are listed as under a state of "fiscal caution" by the Ohio Auditor of State, meaning they both project running out of funds at some point in the next five years. Both districts reduced the amount of busing they provide and staff in the last year.
At the same time, the Ohio Senate is considering the House's proposal for the biennial budget, which does not continue the state's Fair School Funding Plan. If the plan is not continued, school districts will not receive almost $2.75 billion in increased funding over the next two years, according to one recent analysis.
About half of all school levies across Ohio failed in the previous election in November 2024. In general, levies across the state have faced stiffer headwinds in recent years after historic property tax increases and as fears about inflation have persisted.
Higher stakes than usual
At Ravenna, two members of a levy committee said the district's last four levy attempts have failed; the district has not had a new levy approved since 2005.
"Without passing this levy, it's incredibly likely that we will fall into the fiscal emergency category and see the state take over (the district)," said Laura Wunderle, deputy treasurer for Friends of Ravenna Schools.
The district announced this spring it would be closing West Park Elementary School, one of its three elementary schools, as it struggles with low enrollment. Wunderle said the district will likely close another building next year.
The district has cut about 30 positions over the last four years, she said. If the levy isn't passed, further cuts are likely, including elective classes and other course offerings that improve the student experience at Ravenna, said Connie Bennett, co-chair of the levy committee.
"A strong school system equates to so many things," Bennett said. "When you have a family looking to move into our community, I think one of the first things they're gonna look at is the school system."
If the Fair School Funding Plan is continued, Ravenna would receive $4.87 million in increased funding over the next two years; under the House budget proposal, however, Ravenna would only gain $87,456 in increased funding during that time. The levy on the ballot will increase the district's funding by about $2.75 million each year if approved, raising taxes by $192 per year for homes valued at $100,000.
Mogadore Local School District, a small school district in Summit and Portage counties, is also struggling financially. The district's last three levy attempts have failed, leading to layoffs, increased class sizes and increased costs for extracurricular classes, WOIO reported. The district's treasurer didn't respond to a request for comment.
Mogadore will lose out on $3.41 million in increased funding if the Fair School Funding Plan isn't continued, gaining just $592,630 instead over the next two years under the House Republicans' proposal
Like Mogadore, Springfield Local School District in Portage and Summit counties has been listed under fiscal watch for more than four years now. The school district saw two levy renewals fail last November despite one race ending in a tie, and has two more levy renewals on the ballot this spring.
Schools seek funds for facilities amid property tax woes
Six school districts in the region are seeking bond issues to build new school facilities.
Wooster City Schools is seeking a 3.4-mill bond issue to build a new middle school and athletic field after a larger bond issue failed in 2023, The Daily Record reports. Meanwhile, Avon Lake City School District has a bond issue and operating levy on the ballot, with the bond bringing in about $88 million to build a new middle school and fund repairs at the district's elementary schools, according to its website.
Bay Village City School District is trying a new approach to fund facilities improvements this election cycle. Superintendent Scot Prebles said the district is finishing collection of one bond issue this year, and is seeking to pay off another bond several years early. This will mean the district's new 3.15-mill levy on the ballot this spring won't increase taxes. It will be continuous, however, meaning voters won't be asked to come back and re-approve it down the road.
"We believe it's a good plan because it does not ask for additional taxes, it asks for a continuation of what people have been contributing generously since 2012, and offers us an opportunity to stop using the district's general fund to pay for capital investments," Prebles said.
Prebles said many in Bay Village have seen their property taxes increase significantly in recent years due to Cuyahoga County's recent property reappraisal, a factor that has led to increased property taxes. He said the district has "no interest" in increasing taxes in part because of that. The state mandates each county conduct a property reappraisal every six years and an update every three years on a staggered basis; Cuyahoga's sexennial reappraisal was in 2024.
Senate Republican Jerry Cirino, R-Kirtland, during an April 17 City Club of Cleveland forum said many residents in the state are calling for relief from increased property taxes. The House biennial budget proposal attempts to provide tax breaks to people by taking money back from districts that are carrying over more than 30% of their operating costs from one year to the next.
